Spirited Away II
by Fey Lady
Summary: Chihiro hasn't seen Haku for four years, and she gets discouraged that she might never see him again. But days after she starts school again, he appears. The only problem is that he can't remember Chihiro or the Spirit World at all!
1. Chapter 1

_Prologue_

When Haku woke up the next morning, he did not waste time. As he dressed, as he ate breakfast, all he could think about was his name: Kohaku River. He knew it now. He could escape from his life at the Bath House. He could return to her: Chihiro. He had promised her that they would see each other again. Now each moment he spent still lingering at the Bath House cost him dearly. Chihiro may have already moved on.

He knocked on Yubaba's front door, and it opened, along with all the other doors behind it. The chandeliers in each room lit up and filled the room with a brilliant sparkle. Haku walked in. The doors closed gently behind him. He walked into Yubaba's office. She was sitting behind her desk, leaning back in her chair and smoking. She only glanced at Haku as he walked in. They stared at each other.

"I have no special tasks for you today, Haku," Yubaba said dismissively. "Just make sure everyone is doing their job."

"My apologies, Yubaba," Haku bowed. "But that is not why I am here today."

Yubaba put out her pipe and leaned forward. "No? Then what brings you to my office?"

"You already know the answer to that, all-powerful as you are."

Yubaba smirked. "You think you can just leave? How childish, Haku. You have no home to return to."

"All I need is my name." Haku's voice deepened, sounding powerful and dragon-like. He advanced on Yubaba's desk, an unknown wind swirling around him and destroying the order of the room. "I AM THE SPIRIT OF THE KOHAKU RIVER. MY NAME IS KOHAKU RIVER. AND I WILL NOT BE ADDRESSED AS THOUGH I AM A MERE HUMAN UNDER YOUR CONTROL. I AM FREE." The atmosphere around him glowed.

There was a blinding flash of light, and then Haku was gone.

Yubaba leaned back in her chair and smirked. The various papers and knick knacks that had been upset by Haku floated to their original, organized places. She lit another long cigarette and inhaled slowly, contentedly.

"Good luck, Kohaku River," she muttered to herself. "Let's see how you do in the human world when you have no recollection of ever meeting young Chihiro." She cackled and moved on to examine her latest valuable findings.

~End Prologue~


	2. Chapter 2

"Chihiro, wake up! I'm not going to say it again! Summer vacation is over," my mom called.

I groaned. Summer had been so great. And now I was being forced to get up early because I had to face the inevitable: school was back in session.

I slowly got out of bed. I didn't take as much time in choosing what to wear as I usually do. I was still in a vacation daze. You know, because it doesn't matter so much how you look during the summer, but when school starts, you have to start making a good impression. So I put on a pretty-well-planned-out outfit, and then I remembered something. I had to wear a uniform.

My first-day-back-to-school breakfast was totally dull. All summer long I had had the best. But today my mom made:

"Rice?"

"You always have that on your first day of school," my mom replied.

'No I don't,' I thought, forcing down the tasteless grains.

"Chihiro!" my dad called. "Get ready to go! I'm starting the car!"

"Wait a minute!" I rushed to the bathroom and burshed my teeth. Then I grabbed my bag, slipped on my shoes, and ran out the door. I put up my hair in the car, as my dad really would've gone without me, and I would have had to take the bus. I hate the bus.

I put my hair tie in my mouth as I arranged my hair. As I was looking at my self in the mirror, my eyes fell to the hair tie in my mouth. It was very familiar, and all of a sudden, it all came rushing back. All my memories of the Spirit World. Parts of it were horrible, and I would never want to go through them again, but for the most part, I really missed living and working there. I especially missed my new best friend, Haku, whom I'm sure I would never see again. I had been wearing that very hair tie when I left him.

School, as usual, was such a bore. Same classroom, same teachers, same boring classes. The only good thing about school was seeing my friends again. We hadn't seen each other over the summer much. But, luckily, we still had lunch together. So, as usual, we all met in the bathroom before going to the cafeteria. Since it was the first day back, I was a little late. I was rushing to the bathroom, when I accidentally ran right into someone!

"Ohmigosh, I'm so sorry," I said, starting to pass him.

"It's okay," I heard him reply. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around, but I just barely saw him turn the corner. I stood there, looking at that corner, awed and shocked at what I had just heard. That boy had sounded so much like someone I knew.

"Haku . . ." I whispered.

"What are you talking about?"

I turned around and saw Niro with a confused expression on her face.

"Hey Niro!" I said, avoiding her question.

"Geez, where have you been? We're waiting for you." Niro smiled, grabbed my arm, and led me to the bathroom.

The scene was all too familiar. Mika was leaning over a sink, close to the mirror, putting on mascara. Linn was sitting on the counter next to her. Asuka, I guessed, was in a stall, because I could hear her voice.

". . .that tall guy with the dark hair . . ."

She was cut off by Linn, who saw me and shouted, "Finally!" and jumped off the counter.

"I found Chihiro," Niro informed the rest of the group.

"Yeah," I said. "Sorry I'm late. My mind's all mixed up with vacation daze, and I bumped into someone—,"

"Uh huh," Mika interrupted. "You say that practically every day Chihiro."

"No, really!" I pleaded. I heard a toilet flush and Asuka came out of her stall.

"Well, at least she's here now, right? Now, may I please get back to what I was saying?"

We sighed. With Asuka, it was all about her until she was completely done talking. I dropped my stuff in the corner with everyone else's. Niro sat in Linn's spot on the counter. Linn leaned against it. Mika was now on to lipgloss.

"So anyways," Asuka began.

"Wait, wait," I interrupted. "Sorry, Asuka, but what are we talking about?"

"Ohmigosh!" Mika exclaimed. "The new student!"

"The new guy student!" Linn smiled.

"Oh, I think I know who you guys are talking about!" Niro almost shouted. "But doesn't he go to the high school?"

"Hey, keep it down a little, will ya? It's a bit echoy in here ya know."

"I saw him outside this morning," Niro almost whispered.

"Yes, you did," said Asuka. "I saw him, too—because we came to school together! I was just about to tell you what he was like so let me do it.

"K, he's nice and tall, he's got dark hair—not too long and not too short--, beautiful green eyes, and such a kind, handsome face. His light skin looks so soft; I bet it would be if I touched it . . ."

"OK, I think we get it," Linn interrupted.

"Oh Linn, Asuka's just pining over another short-time crush. Let her have her fun," Mika reasoned. "Besides, I should know how hot he is! I captured his picture on my cell phone!"

"So, do you know him, Linn?" I asked, a little shocked at Asuka's description and trying to regain my composure. How could it possibly be him? The guy Asuka described must just look extremely similar. It happened.

"Oh, not really. I haven't actually seen him yet," Linn replied. "But doesn't he sound great!"

"Excuse me!" Asuka called. "But I wasn't done yet! I still haven't told you his name, which I happen to know."

"Mika and I could tell you that, too, Asuka. It doesn't have to be you," Niro said.

"How do you know his name if he goes to a different school?" I asked, mostly to myself.

"Yes, it has to be me!" Asuka shouted again.

"Asuka, I'd like to keep my hearing, if you don't mind," Linn pleaded.

"Oh god!" Mika was fed up with everyone. "His name is Haku! Which is kinda weird, but who cares."

I swallowed and somehow choked on my own salaiva. I started choking and coughing. Everyone turned to look at me. I leaned over a sink, almost ready to be sick.

"Whoa, Chihiro. Are you OK?" Mika asked. The girls went over to me.

"I'm fine," I croaked, coming out of my daze.

"Chihiro, what the heck made you choke?" Niro asked.

"Um, I. . . tried to swallow and breathe at the same time."

All my friends looked at me as if I was retarded.

"Chihiro, I didn't know you were that stupid," Asuka joked.

"No, I think it's something else. What are you not telling us, Chihiro?" Niro accused.

Mika's eyes lit up. "You know him, don't you, Chihiro! Oh, can you hook me up?"

"Yes, she does know him," Niro deducted. "Because when I found her in the hall, she said something, and I'm realizing now that it sounded a lot like, 'Haku'!"

"So I happen to know a guy with the same name," I said, thinking quickly and standing up straight again. "They're not the same. He's totally different from what Asuka described. And besides, the Haku I know would not be here. Give me some room!"

All the girls had been slowly crowding around me with eager eyes. I decided to leave, so I grabbed my stuff and went to my locker. I did not want to talk to any of my friends. I put my lunchbox away, and started moving. If I kept moving, no one would find me.


	3. Chapter 3

First the hair tie, then talk of a boy named Haku whose description similarly matched the Haku I knew—all in one day! It was too much! My feet took me out one of the side doors to the athletic fields we share with the high school. There was a high school class out there, so I slumped down behind some bushes and cried. I had done so well in forgetting it all. Or, at least, I had done well in putting it behind me. I buried my face in my hands. I heard some people running around the track, but I didn't care. I probably didn't know any of them.

They were coming in my direction. I muffled my cries a little and waited for them to pass. It sounded like they all did. Only when I heard footsteps right in front of me and someone squatting down did I realize I was wrong.

"Are you all right?"

The voice was definitely a student's. I had heard that voice just a little while ago. It was so familiar, so calming. But in my distraught state, I couldn't think of whose it was. I looked up and saw a boy—but that was all I could see because my tears had blurred my vision. I felt really embarrassed. I quickly wiped away my tears and looked upon the face of a boy a little older than I, with dark hair, deep-green eyes, light skin, and concerned look on his face. I knew right away that he was the guy Asuka had described. And he was the boy I had been waiting for for so long.

"Haku," I breathed in wonder.

"Yes. How do you know my name?" he asked with a puzzled expression.

"Oh, well, my friends were talking about you in the bathroom, so I kinda assumed . . ."

"Well, you assumed correct. But who are you?"

This question shocked me out of my mind. How could Haku not know who I was? I thought he would remember right away! But, then again, it had been a few years since we had seen each other. Maybe he had forgotten, a little—though I couldn't imagine why.

"I-I'm Chihiro," I said, smiling a little.

"Chihiro," Haku mumbled. He looked at me. "Well Chihiro, I take it, from your smile, that you're feeling a little better?" He smiled and stood up, holding out his hand. I took it, and he helped me up. His hand felt just as I remembered it.

"Thanks," I said.

"You're welcome." He stared at me a long while and then shook his head, as if clearing his mind. He smiled and took off running again, around the track.

I felt so confused. I knew that was Haku! There was no mistake. How come he didn't remember who I was? There didn't seem to be anything wrong with him. And I was sure that I was recognizable. My hair was the same length, same color, and same style. My eyes were the same color, and I didn't wear glasses. I might've grown a little, but that shouldn't have made a difference. Then it came to me. The Bath House! Maybe if I reminded him of that, he would remember. But, in order to do that, I needed to talk to him alone. That would be hard. That meant I'd have to meet him "by chance" again. Well, it just happened twice in one day. How long could I possibly have to wait?

What a question. The fact that he went to a different school, however close, was obstacle enough in trying to talk to him. Then there was the fact that not only was he popular among my friends, but almost every single girl, from both schools, wanted to be around him. So I had observed, watching him go to school every morning. I had so much to tell him, and every day it seemed that he had no sudden realizations as to who I was to him. But every day I didn't talk to him, the more frustrated I became. And the more frustrated I became, the harder it was to hide my frustration. I could barely keep my friends out of it, especially because they pried into my knowledge of Haku all the time. I couldn't keep my parents out of it at all. Moms must have some special sense that tells them when something is wrong with their child.

"Is something wrong, honey?" my mom asked when she was driving me home.

"No," I said, turning away.

"You can tell me, Chihiro. I can help you."

"No, you can't."

"So there is something wrong."

I groaned.

"I'm just trying to talk to someone, but they go to a different school and I have no other way of contacting them!" I said, raising my voice higher than necessary. But I couldn't help it. I'd been waiting for a long time! My mom was silent for a while. Then she sighed.

"There's no need to raise your voice," she said calmly. "Let's think about this. You've obviously seen this person before, or you wouldn't need to talk to them, right?"

". . . Yeah." I rolled my eyes. "He was in gym class. . ." And then it dawned on me to go back to where I had been crying that time when I did see him. "And I could go back during the same time and see him! Thanks, Mom!"

"Told you I could help," she smirked.

The next morning, I had to take the bus. My dad ended up leaving before I was ready, because I woke up too late. I hate the bus. The ride was so bumpy; it's not like I could've napped on the way to school. Every few seconds, my head would bump against the window. I had a small bump on my head by the end of the ride.

Finding Haku was easy; waiting to find him was the hard part. Time dragged on; there seemed no end to any of my classes. Everyone around me was my enemy. The teachers switched their voices to "monotonous," the kids in the halls were like turtles. Obviously, the school was trying to make sure I didn't find Haku. Or, if I did, to take the longest amount of time to get to him.

But finally, after what seemed like years, it was time for lunch. And I was so excited to finally talk to Haku that I was actually the first one in the bathroom at lunch! All my friends were so surprised.

"Chihiro!" Asuka exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Um, isn't it lunch time?" I asked.

"Yeah, but you're never here first," said Mika, going right over to the mirror.

"We should celebrate," said Niro.

"Oh, please," said Linn. "If I know Chihiro, she wouldn't like the attention. I'm sure she'd like us to get over it. Right, Chihiro?"

"Yes, thank you."

"So," Asuka almost shouted. "What's the latest gossip? I hope I didn't come here for nothing!"

"Well, my parents said we could go to my house and hang out," Linn offered.

My friends' eyes lit up. Linn had a huge house with tons of cool things. We totally freaked out every time we went. Every sleepover we ever had been at Linn's house.

"When?" I asked.

"Today, after school," Linn replied.

We all whipped out our cell phones and called our parents. Mine said yes, as long as I could get a ride. Linn's parents could take me.

"All right!" Asuka exclaimed. "Well, all that excitement has made me too hungry for gossip! And we'll have all the time in the world to do that at Linn's house! Let's go!" She sashayed across the room to get her bag. Everyone followed suit.

"You guys can eat without me. I just have something important to do right now. It can't wait," I told everyone. I didn't want to miss Haku's class.

"Probably a guy issue," said Asuka, rolling her eyes.

"N-no it's not!" I almost stuttered.

"Ha! It is. I can see your face turning red." She waved her hand in the air dismissively. "Fine, Chihiro. Go have fun somewhere else. Just leave your friends to fend for themselves."

I turned to grab my stuff and go, but my friends quickly grabbed me.

"You're not going anywhere. You're making this a habit Chihiro. Don't," Mika ordered.

"C'mon, we were just joking around, Chihiro," Linn reasoned. "We don't want you to leave."

"No, really guys," I pleaded. "It has nothing to do with your teasing. It's really important. I'm not mad. And I'll be here tomorrow."

"OK," Linn answered, the only one who seemed to understand.

I smiled back. "Thanks. Don't worry. I'll see you all after school!" Everyone let out a whoop as I exited.


End file.
